Sudden onset of an aggressive cutaneous lymphoma in a young patient with psoriasis: role of immunosuppressants

Acta Derm Venereol. 2010 Nov;90(6):616-20. doi: 10.2340/00015555-0978.

Abstract

Psoriasis is thought to be associated with an increased risk of lymphoma. We report here the first case of an aggressive primary cutaneous pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma in a patient with psoriasis. The 36-year-old patient, who had previously been treated successively with methotrexate, ciclosporin and etanercept, presented with rapidly growing nodules on the leg. A biopsy confirmed a stage IVa primary cutaneous pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma. Despite treatment with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, the disease progressed and the patient died 5 months later. This case of pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma was remarkable in both its extremely rapid onset and the aggressive nature of the disease. The onset of this disease in a patient with psoriasis who had been previously treated with immunosuppressive drugs and a tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α blocker is of major interest. Only eight cases of cutaneous lymphomas associated with treatment with TNF-α blockers have been published previously. Most of these eight cases related to anti-TNFα antibodies; only two were linked to etanercept.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / therapeutic use
  • Biopsy
  • Cyclosporine / adverse effects
  • Doxorubicin / analogs & derivatives
  • Doxorubicin / therapeutic use
  • Etanercept
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / adverse effects
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects*
  • Leg
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / chemically induced*
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / drug therapy
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / pathology
  • Male
  • Methotrexate / adverse effects
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Polyethylene Glycols / therapeutic use
  • Psoriasis / drug therapy*
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • Skin Neoplasms / chemically induced*
  • Skin Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology
  • Treatment Failure

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • liposomal doxorubicin
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cyclosporine
  • Etanercept
  • Methotrexate